This application relates to the art of electrical connections and, more particularly, to joints between elongated rigid conductors. The invention is particularly applicable to joints between electrical busbars used in trolley busway systems and will be particularly described with reference thereto. However, it will be recognized that the improved electrical joint of the present application can be used with conductors other than busbars in trolley busway systems.
Trolley busway systems commonly include a housing surrounding and carrying a plurality of busbars. A trolley rides along a track in the housing and has brushes engaging the busbars. Housing sections must be joined together for assembling a complete trolley busway system and the busbars in each housing section must also be connected together. Busbar connectors requiring the use of screws and the like make joining thereof very time consuming. The joints must also be relatively smooth so the brushes on the trolley will not come out of engagement with the busbars when the brushes cross a joint. With rigid joints, longitudinal thermal expansion and contraction of the busbars may cause same to buckle or otherwise fail.
It would be desirable to have a busbar joint which could be made without requiring the use of screws or the like, while providing a very secure joint which accommodates longitudinal thermal expansion and contraction of busbars and maintains excellent current carrying ability, and provides a smooth transition from one busbar to another.